Ventilating nozzle including a universally swivellable nozzle member

ABSTRACT

A ventilating nozzle in which a tubular nozzle member is swivellable universally in a tubular housing. The nozzle member contains an obturating member adjustable to vary the effective flow of air through the nozzle member. A sleeve mounted on the nozzle member for relative rotation therebetween but restrained by the housing from rotational movement about its axis is connected by gearing to the obturating member, whereby rotational movement of the nozzle member within the sleeve will effect opening or closing of the obturating member according to the direction of the rotational movement.

United States Patent [1 1 Lloyd Sept. 17, 1974 [54] VENTILATING NOZZLEINCLUDING A 2,885,943 5/1959 Divizia 98/40 A UNIVERSALLY SWIVELLABLENOZZLE 3,103,155 9/1963 Boylan et alum 98/40 A MEMBER 3,366,363 1/1968Hogan et a], 98/40 A 3,690,244 9/1972 Kallel et ul 98/40 A Jeffrey NeilLloyd, Bedworth, England Assignee: Clear Hooters Limited, Bedworth,Warwickshire, England Mar. 27, 1973 Inventor:

Filed:

, Appl. No.: 345,273

Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 4, 1972 Great Britain 15309/72U.S. Cl. 98/40 A, 251/352 Int. Cl F24f 13/00 Field of Search 98/40 A;251/340, 351,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1952 Ross 1. 98/40 A PrimaryExaminerWilliam E. Wayner Assistant ExaminerW. E. Tapolcai, Jr.

Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hauke, Gifford, Patalidis & Dumont [57]ABSTRACT A ventilating nozzle in which a tubular nozzle member isswivellable universally in a tubular housing. The nozzle member containsan obturating member adjustable to vary the effective flow of airthrough the nozzle member. A sleeve mounted on the nozzle member forrelative rotation therebetween but restrained by the housing fromrotational movement about its axis is connected by gearing to theobturating member, whereby rotational movement of the nozzle memberwithin the sleeve will effect opening or closing of the obturatingmember according to the direction of the rotational movement.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEUSEPIYIBH 3.885.759

sum 2 HF 2 I FIG. 3

VENTILATING NOZZLE INCLUDING A UNIVERSALLY SWIVELLABLE NOZZLE MEMBER Theinvention relates to a ventilating nozzle of the kind including auniversally swivellable nozzle member and an adjustable flow controlvalve positioned within the nozzle member. Nozzles of this kind areparticularly, but not exclusively, used for the ventilation and- /orheating of the interiors of motor vehicles.

According to the invention, a ventilating nozzle comprises a tubularhousing arranged to be connected at its upstream end to a source ofventilating air and a tubular nozzle member mounted in the housing andhaving an outer surface in the shape of a zone of a sphere, whereby thenozzle member is swivellable universally in the housing, the nozzlemember comprising a tubular body in which an obturating member isadjustable to vary the effective flow of air through the housing, asleeve mounted on the body for relative rotation therebetween butrestrained by the housing from rotational movement about the axis of thebody and gearing connecting the sleeve to the obturating member, wherebyrotational movement of the body about its axis within the sleeve willeffect opening or closing of the obturating member according to thedirection of said rotational movement.

Conveniently the obturating member comprises at least one flap valvemember mounted for pivoting about an axis extending diametrically of orchordwise of the tubular body of the nozzle member on a pivot carrying agear member meshing with a toothed rack extending circumferentially ofthe inner surface of the sleeve.

The invention also includes the nozzle member for co-operation with thetubular housing of a ventilating nozzle in accordance with either of thetwo immediately preceding paragraphs.

By way of example, a nozzle member in accordance with the immediatelypreceding paragraph is now described with reference to the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial section through the nozzle;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the nozzle as seen from the right side of FIG.1, and

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the nozzle.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 3, the nozzle member comprises atubular body 1 having substantially cylindrical inner and outer surfaces2 and 3. One end (the downstream end in use) of the body 1 has anintegral outwardly-extending annular flange 4 and is also provided witha pair of crossed reinforcing ribs 5 by which the nozzle member can beswivelled in its housing, as later explained. The ribs 5 are shown inFIG. 2. The other end of the body is provided with outwardly-directedlip portions 6 provided on circumferentially spaced end portions of thebody separated by short axial cuts to enable these end portions of thebody to be slightly deformed inwardly and for a sleeve 7 to be fittedover them and held from axial movement between the lip portions 6 andthe flange 4 when the end portions have been released. When the sleeve 7has been fitted in position it is freely rotatable relatively to thebody 1. The outer periphery 8 of the sleeve 7 is in the form of a zoneof a sphere and the periphery of the flange 4 is a continuation of thispart-spherical surface to enable the whole nozzle member to be swivelledin a tubular housing comprising a rear portion 20 and a front portion orbezel 21. The rear portion 20 has an integral spigot 22 to which an airdelivery pipe from a blower is attached and the bezel 21 has integrallugs 23 by which the nozzle is supported from a facia or dashboard. Anannular gallery 24 is formed around the sleeve 7 of the nozzle memberbetween the portions 20 and 21 of the housing and this gallery containsa springstrip 25 bent to a non-circular shape extending around thegallery and supporting a length of felt strip 26 which extends aroundthe gallery in a ring and is held by the spring-strip 25 against thepart-spherical surface of the sleeve 7 and from turning about the axisof the housing. The felt strip 26 acts to prevent leakage of air betweenthe nozzle member and the inner surface of the housing portions 20 and21 and also exerts a drag on the sleeve 7 to hold it from rotation inthe housing when the body 1 is turned about its axis, while permittinguniversal swivelling of the nozzle member as a whole in the housing.

The sleeve 7 has an inwardly directed flange 9 at its upstream end,adjacent the lip portions 6. The axially inner face of the flange 9 isformed with a circumferentially-extending rack portion 10 over part ofits circumferential length. An elliptical butterfly valve flap 12 ismounted on diametral pivots inserted in the circumferential wall of thebody 1 and is pivotable between a fully open position in which itextends edge-on in alignment with one of the ribs 5 and a closedposition in which it lies obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the body1 and completely closes the flow-path through the body. In this positionthe flap l2 abuts against an elliptical shoulder 13 formed in the innerperipheral surface 2 of the body 1. One of the diametral pivots of theflap 12 has a gear quadrant or pinion 14 formed or mounted on it andlocated in an annular space 15 between the body 1 and the sleeve 7 whereit is in mesh with the rack portion 10.

In use, the nozzle member is fitted between the two portions 20 and 21of the tubular housing to which a stream of ventilating air is to besupplied through the spigot 22 at the upstream end of the housing. Theair stream will issue from the nozzle member under the control of theflap l2 and in a direction according to the inclination of the nozzlemember. The outer periphery 8 of the sleeve co-operates with the tubularhousing to permit universal swivelling of the whole nozzle member whenthe user grips the thicker of the two ribs 5. The sleeve 7 is held fromturning about the longitudinal axis of the nozzle member by the feltstrip 26 and thus when the user turns the body 1 in the direction ofeither of arrows X in FIG. 2 by gripping the thicker rib S, the body 1will turn relatively to the sleeve 7 and so the flap 12 will be swungfrom its open to closed position or vice versa in the direction of oneof the arrows Y in FIG. 1. The fully-closed position of the flap 12 isdetermined by the flap engaging the shoulder 13 and the fully-openposition of the flap 12 is determined by the flap engaging aprotuberance 16 extending from one of the ribs 5.

The nozzle member and the housing portions are conveniently made of asynthetic plastics material.

Instead of the crossed ribs 5, a single diametral rib,

a plurality of parallel ribs or a grid structure of ribs may beprovided. The rib or ribs may incorporate a knob to be gripped by theoperator.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by letters Patent ofthe United States is:

1. A ventilating nozzle comprising a tubular housing arranged to beconnected at its upstream end to a source of ventilating air and atubular nozzle member mounted in the housing and having an outer surfacein the shape of a zone of a sphere, whereby the nozzle member isswivellable universally in the housing, the nozzle member comprising atubular body, an obturating member positioned within said tubular bodyand adjustable to vary the effective flow of air through the housing. asleeve mounted on the body for relative rotation therebetween butrestrained by the housing from rotational movement about the axis of thebody and gearing connecting the sleeve to the obturating member, werebyrotational movement of the body about its axis within the sleeve willeffect movement of the obturating member in accordance with thedirection of said rotational movement.

2. A nozzle as claimed in claim 1 in which the obturating membercomprises at least one flap valve member mounted for pivoting about anaxis extending transversely of the tubular body of the nozzle member, apivot for said flap valve member, said gearing comprising a gear membercarried on said pivot and a toothed rack meshing with said gear memberand extending circumferentially of the inner surface of the sleeve.

3. A nozzle as claimed in claim 2 in which the housing includes arubbing ring extending around an inner surface thereof and engaging thesleeve, thereby to hold the sleeve from turning about the axis of thehousing while permitting the nozzle member to be swivelled as a wholeuniversally in the housing.

4. A nozzle as claimed in claimed in claim 3 including a spring strip ofnon-circular shape located in a gallery extending around the inner wallof the housing, the spring strip engaging said rubbing ring and holdingit from rotation in the housing.

5. A nozzle member for use in a ventilating nozzle comprising a tubularbody in which an obturating member is adjustable to vary the effectiveflow of air through the nozzle member, a sleeve mounted on the body forrelative rotation therebetween and gearing connecting the sleeve to theobturating member, whereby rotational movement of the body about itsaxis within the sleeve will effect movement of the obturating memberaccording to the direction of said rotational movement.

6. A nozzle member as claimed in claim 5 in which the obturating membercomprises at least one flap valve member mounted for pivoting about anaxis extending transversely of the tubular body of the nozzle member, apivot for said flap valve member said gearing comprising a gear membercarried on said pivot and a toothed rack meshing with said gear memberand extending circumferentially of the inner surface of the sleeve.

1. A ventilating nozzle comprising a tubular housing arranged to beconnected at its upstream end to a source of ventilating air and atubular nozzle member mounted in the housing and having an outer surfacein the shape of a zone of a sphere, whereby the nozzle member isswivellable universally in the housing, the nozzle member comprising atubular body, an obturating member positioned within said tubular bodyand adjustable to vary the effective flow of air through the housing. asleeve mounted on the body for relative rotation therebetween butrestrained by the housing from rotational movement about the axis of thebody and gearing connecting the sleeve to the obturating member, werebyrotational movement of the body about its axis within the sleeve willeffect movement of the obturating member in accordance with thedirection of said rotational movement.
 2. A nozzle as claimed in claim 1in which the obturating member comprises at least one flap valve membermounted for pivoting about an axis extending transversely of the tubularbody of the nozzle member, a pivot for said flap valve member, saidgearing comprising a gear member carried on said pivot and a toothedrack meshing with said gear member and extending circumferentially ofthe inner surface of the sleeve.
 3. A nozzle as claimed in claim 2 inwhich the housing includes a rubbing ring extending around an innersurface thereof and engaging the sleeve, thereby to hold the sleeve fromturning about the axis of the housing while permitting the nozzle memberto be swivelled as a whole universally in the housing.
 4. A nozzle asclaimed in claimed in claim 3 including a spring strip of non-circularshape located in a gallery extending around the inner wall of thehousing, the spring strip engaging said rubbing ring and holding it fromrotation in the housing.
 5. A nozzle member for use in a ventilatingnozzle comprising a tubular body in which an obturating member isadjustable to vary the effective flow of air through the nozzle member,a sleeve mounted on the body for relative rotation therebetween andgearing connecting the sleeve to the obturating member, wherebyrotational movement of the body about its axis within the sleeve willeffect movement of the obturating member according to the direction ofsaid rotational movement.
 6. A nozzle member as claimed in claim 5 inwhich the obturating member comprises at least one flap valve membermounted for pivoting about an axis extending transversely of the tubularbody of the nozzle member, a pivot for said flap valve member saidgearing comprising a gear member carried on said pivot and a toothedrack meshing with said gear member and extending circumferentially ofthe inner surface of the sleeve.